{"id":168085,"date":"2025-09-29T12:30:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T12:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/168085\/"},"modified":"2025-09-29T12:30:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T12:30:11","slug":"whats-really-causing-those-painful-pins-and-needles-in-your-hands-and-why-its-not-what-you-think-dr-martin-scurr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/168085\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s REALLY causing those painful pins and needles in your hands – and why it’s not what you think: DR MARTIN SCURR"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have numbness and painful pins and needles in my hands and am waiting to be seen by a consultant to check for carpal tunnel. But as it affects both hands, could it stem from a common neural point, i.e. the vertebrae in my neck?<\/p>\n

Gerwyn Thomas, Llantwit Major, Wales.<\/p>\n

Dr Martin Scurr replies: I can see your logic, but for symptoms in both hands to be caused by neck vertebrae would mean something pressing on the nerves \u2013 for example, a prolapsed disc pressing on both sides of the spine. But those symptoms would be more widespread than the thumb and index finger on each hand.<\/p>\n

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which passes through the carpal tunnel (a passageway in the wrist) is compressed, causing pain, tingling and muscle wasting in the area supplied by the nerve. Most people associate it with repetitive use of one hand \u2013 but studies suggest that in around 40 per cent of cases both hands are affected. For example, in people with fluid retention due to an underactive thyroid gland, or conditions such as diabetes<\/a> or rheumatoid arthritis, which cause inflammation of the tissues in the carpal tunnel itself.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s diagnosed by sending a tiny electrical impulse along the nerve via small electrodes \u2013 in carpal tunnel the impulse is slowed down. If the tests are normal, then the test would be repeated on the neck.<\/p>\n

In your case, the question will be whether the problem is fluid retention, heavy occupational trauma to the hands and wrists, or arthritic change. Hopefully your symptoms will resolve once the diagnosis is confirmed and suitable treatment commenced.<\/p>\n

\"Carpal <\/p>\n

Carpal tunnel syndrome is when the median nerve, which passes through a passageway in the wrist is compressed, causing pain, tingling and muscle wasting in the area, writes Dr Scurr<\/p>\n

My mother has lost her sight due to age-related macular degeneration and suffers terrible hallucinations. Is there anything we can do?<\/p>\n

Leonna Laverty, Ballycastle, Co Antrim.<\/p>\n

Dr Martin Scurr replies: This is a relatively common, if terrifying, symptom of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) \u2013 a condition that strikes from around 60 and is the leading cause of blindness in the UK. It develops when the macula \u2013 the part of the retina in the eye responsible for detailed central vision \u2013 starts to degrade.<\/p>\n

When someone becomes almost completely visually impaired, as in your mother\u2019s case, the lack of input to the brain from the eyes can lead to a neurological disorder, where the brain \u2018makes up\u2019 for lost sight by inventing images.<\/p>\n

The hallucinations can be so vivid they feel real. For some, the images may be merely coloured shapes or patterns, but others \u2018see\u2019 complex animals or humans, even dragons and monsters. The hallucinations can be brief and episodic, but are sometimes long lasting and distressing.<\/p>\n

Known as Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS), it\u2019s thought to affect up to half of people with visual loss, including AMD. In time, the hallucinations fade away as the brain adjusts to the lack of visual input.<\/p>\n

But in the meantime there are some adaptations that might help. The first is to make sure that when your mother is awake, she\u2019s in a brightly lit environment to make her blink. Blinking is known to help dismiss a hallucination. Simply being around other people may also help.<\/p>\n

There are effective drugs for severe CBS, such as the anticonvulsants carbamazepine (sometimes used in epilepsy) and sodium valproate (used in epilepsy and bipolar disorder).<\/p>\n

Another option is mirtazapine, an antidepressant, or the tranquilliser olanzapine. It\u2019s not clear how these help \u2013 and each can cause unpleasant side-effects, particularly in the elderly.<\/p>\n

In time, it is to be hoped these visions will subside, but it can take as long as one or two years. Helping your mother cope with the anxiety will be important and a minor tranquilliser, prescribed by her GP, might be a safe option, starting at the lowest dose, as a trial, for two or three weeks.<\/p>\n

IN MY VIEW… Claiming Covid jab link to cancer is folly <\/p>\n

Cardiologist Aseem Malhotra has compromised his position as a doctor by proclaiming at the Reform party conference that the recent cancer diagnoses in the Royal family are the result of Covid jabs.<\/p>\n

This shocked those of us who\u2019ve previously supported Dr Malhotra in his criticism of statins being rolled out on a one-size-fits-all basis for raised cholesterol. His point is that lifestyle changes involving diet and reducing obesity are no less important than a blanket prescription of the drugs.<\/p>\n

But while his brave and honourable scepticism on statins must be respected, his position on Covid immunisation is folly.<\/p>\n

Much research has been conducted into the safety of the mRNA vaccines \u2013 we all accept there\u2019s more to learn but his suggestion about a cancer link is irresponsible, as the damage to public confidence is incalculable.<\/p>\n

There have been calls for the General Medical Council (GMC) to take action, and my colleague may lose his position as a working doctor because of his willingness to skate on the thin ice of conspiracy theory. It pains me to say that the GMC would have good reason to act.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I have numbness and painful pins and needles in my hands and am waiting to be seen by…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":168086,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[97,59,102,56,54,55,1220],"class_list":{"0":"post-168085","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-dailymail","9":"tag-gb","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom","13":"tag-unitedkingdom","14":"tag-wales"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168085","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=168085"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168085\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/168086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=168085"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=168085"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=168085"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}